960402

Benazir to open

Shikarpur-Larkana

gas loopline

today

LARKANA: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will inaugurate the 61-km long and 20 inch dia Shikarpur-Larkana gas transmission loopline at a ceremony here on Wednesday.

The loopline has been laid alongwith the existing 504 km Sui-Karachi Indus Right Bank Pipeline at a cost of Rs 300 million.

Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has completed this line within a record six months despite difficult water logged/flooded terrain through which the line passes.

SSGC operates and maintains over 2,000 km of gas transmission pipelines and over 16,000 km of distribution network serving more than one million consumers.

As part of its expansion plans to meet the growing gas demand of its existing and prospective consumers, SSGC has already looped a total of 324 km of the existing IRBP through 20 inch dia loops resulting in an increased flow of 80 million cubic feet of gas per day.

The Shikarpur-Larkana loop will further augment the capacity of SSGC's gas transmission system along the right bank of River Indus by another 30 million cubic feet per day.

As a result of this loopline, not only the consumers in the cities/towns already receiving gas will receive more gas but also customers in new towns will be benefited. Such cities and towns will include Shikarpur, Garhi Yasin, Garhi Khuda Bux, Ratodero, Naudero, Bungaldero, Dhamrah, Larkana and Karachi.

CANCER HOSPITAL

Prime Minister will also formally inaugurate the 36-bed Cancer Ward at the Larkana Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy (Linar) here on Wednesday.

The Institute has facilities for diagnostic and treatment of all types of Cancer. Its radiotherapy section has the latest Cobalt-60 machine, deep X-ray therapy machine, Simulator, Gama cameras, 7000 RA diagonstic X-ray etc.

Dr Naim Ahmed Leghari, Administrator Linar said that about 11,000 patients have been visiting the Institute every year for diagnosis and treatment of Cancer.

He said the Prime Minister had given a special grant of Rs 13.1 million in August 1994 for upgradation of the facilities at Linar, Cobalt-60 machine, four computers, installation of 36-line digital exchange, and hostel for bachelor officials.-APP